Screen for refrigerator cars



P 5- I c. s. JOHNSTON 2,335,760?

SCREEN FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed May 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 25, 1945. c. s. JOHNSTON SCREEN FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS 2 Shee ts-Shaet 2 I I u v m p n I A 1 J F1l ed May 29, 1944 5 I--- IL iiil l La Patented Sept. 25, 1945 2,385,760 scREEN FOR REFRIGERATo-R OAR-s Charles S. Johnston, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to 7 Transportation Specialties 00., Chicago, 111., a A corporation of Illinois Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,777

Claims.

This invention relates to screen for refrigerator cars and more particularly to a screen adapted to be mounted in the ice bunker of a refrigerator car to provide for flow. of air around the ice in the bunker.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a screen which is strong and rigid in construction and is easy and inexpensive to fabricate and install in a car. i

Another object of the inventionis 'to provide a screen which provides maximum free circulation of air between the screen and a wall on which it is supported.

Still another objectof the inventionis to provide a screen which is protected against damage by a movable bulkhead or the like in the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen which may serve-as a support for a pivoted ice-grate or the like.

The above and other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with' the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a partial transverse sectionthru a car equipped with the invention, with the car end in elevation;

Figure 2 is a front view of one of the supporting channels:

Figure 3 is a section thru the screenshowing a supporting channel in side elevation;

Figure 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transv rse section thru an alternative post construction; and

Figure 6 is an elevation of the construction shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated the end of a conventional refrigerator car having a bottom I and an outer side wall 2.

The side wall is connected to a Z beam 3 which supports a roof 4. Within and spaced fromrthe side wall 2 is an inner wall 5 which may be formed of corrugated sheet metal. Sheathing 6 is supported between the side walls 2 and 5 and carries insulation 1 which extends below the sheathing substantially to the base of the car.

In refrigerator cars of the type shown, a bulkhead is employed spaced from the car end to form an ice bunker adjacent the car end. Ice is adapted to be supported in this bunker by a lower ice brate 8 formed of perforated metal sheets corrugated as indicated at 9 for strength. The sheets are turned down at their edges to provide vertical reinforcing flanges thru which the grates may be pivotedto lugs [0 carried by supporting strips l l on the end of the car. Thus the grates are pivoted to the car end and may be connected to the bulkhead when in use, being swung out of the way against the car end wall when they are not in use.

A floor grating I2 is sup-ported below the lower ice grate on beams l3 and may serve as a lading rack when the car is used without refrigeration.

Adjacent the top of the car a screen indicated generally at I4 is provided and pivotally supported below the screen is an ice-grate 20 which can b swung to a retracted position adjacent the end of the car or which may be movedto a horizontal ice supporting position bridging the space between the car end and a bulkhead spaced therefrom.

The screen I4 is constructed according to the present invention of a plurality of sheet metal channel members IS with their webs connected to the car end and their flanges projecting outwardly from the car end at substantially right angles. The outer edges of the flanges are bent outwardly to form screen supporting strips l6 lying in a common plane. A screen ll preferably formed of expanded sheet metal overlies the supporting strips I6 and is connected thereto by welding or by other desired fastening means. In this way, the screen is supported spaced from and substantially parallel to the car end wall so that air may circulat between the screen and the car end to be cooled by ice in the bunker compartment. In order'to facilitate this circulation of air the flange portions of the channels l5 are formed with openings [8 so that air may circulate freely both vertically and transversely around the channels. Thus,-in the event anyportion of the screen should be blocked, air circulation will not be seriously impaired.

In cars of this type it is customary to employ movable bulkheads which may be moved to a retracted position adjacent the car end. In order to prevent damage to the screen by such bulkheads when they are in retracted position, blocking members may be carried by the screen to engage the bulkhead surface. As shown the blocking members indicated generally at l9'are formed by relatively short sheet metal channels with their flanges extending thru th screen between the flanges of the channels l5. The flanges of the blocking members are secured to the post members l5 so that the web portions of the blocking members I9 project beyond the surface of the screen to engage the bulkhead and prevent it from striking the screen and to serve as a top backing member for the bulkhead when it is in to the side flanges of the channels l5. Thus the channels which are securely bolted to the car end wall serve both to support thefs'creenand "as pivotal support for the ice-grate 20;

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an alternative construction of the post members which-support the In these figures the posts are formed 1 by-Z shaped strips having webs 26 lying siib'-' stantially at right angles to the car' end wall screen.

and perforated to'provide'for air circulation. Outer flanges 2'! lie against and may be secured to'the car wall and innerflang'es" 28 support -a screen 29 spaced from the carwall. members 30 formed 'byshort channels withtheir "flanges at thetop' and bottom aresecured to the posts asby' welding to the-webs 26 and pro-ject beyond 'the screeni'asshown; The webs of the blocking members may F be formed with access openings 3 I;

While two embodiments of thegiinvention are .shown vand describedhere'in in detail it is :un- 'd'erstood that the'yare illustrative only andare not'inten'ded'as a'defi'nition of thersco'pe of the invention, reference being had for thisnpurpo'se to the appended claims.

fiWhat is claimed is: A screen for-a refrigerator car comprising 'a The straps 22 m y, be Welded to brackets 24 which are in turn welded and a flat foraminated screen overlying and secured to the bent over edges of the flanges.

2. A screen for a refrigerator car comprising a plurality of parallel sheet metal channels 1 adapted to, have their webs secured to the car Wall with their flanges extending outwardly therefrom, the flanges being-perforated to provide-'for air circulation, a screenyoverlying and 'secured to the edges of the flanges and held spaced from the car wall thereby, and relatively '"short channel members having their flanges extending between and secured to the flanges of the first named channels with their web portions projecting lzo'ey'or'i'd 'the screen.

Blocking plurality :of parallel channel *sh'aped f st'rips 1 adapted to have'theirwebs securedto the .car

Wall with their "flanges, extending "outwardly therefrom, the flanges of said strips beingperforated to provide for air circulationf-the edges oi the: flanges being bent' over 'at right angles,

35A 'screen for a refrigerator car comprising a plurality of parallel posts adapted to be secured to acar-wall-and including portions extending outwardly from the car wall, said portions beingperforated to provide for air circulation, a flat 'foraminated screen secured to the outer surfaceof the posts'and held spaced from the car wall thereby, and bumper'members carried by the lposts'and projecting beyond: the screen.

4. A screen for a refrigerator car comprising -a plurality of parallel posts formed 'of relatively thin metal adapted to besecure'd at one-edge' 'to a car'wall with relatively thin pdrtionspr'ojecting outwardly from the wallysaidpdrtiohs being perforated 'to provide ior air circulation the outer edges :of said portions :beingbent over to provide flat co+planar flanges,- andv'a fl'at metal screen overlying and secured to the fiang'es and' 'held spaced from the car Y wall thereby.

5; A screenpfor a refrigerator car; comprising a plurality of parallel pos'ts-fbfmrdo'f relatively thin metal'adaptedtto be secured atone. edge to a-carwall with relatively thinp'ortions projecting outwardly from the rwall said portions b'eingrperforated 'to provide =fo'r'a ir; circulation; a flat metal =screen secured==t0 the outergedges ofthe posts and held spaced-from the car wall-thereby;and

sheet metal bumpers-weldedto said portionsof thewposts and projecting beyond the screen;

' CHARLES 'S. JOHNSTON. 

